Former CFL player, four-time Super Bowl champion coach Sherman Lewis dead at 83

Photo courtesy: Michigan State University

Former CFL player Sherman Lewis, who went on to win four Super Bowls as an assistant coach in the NFL, passed away on Friday at the age of 83.

An All-American running back at Michigan State, Lewis finished in third place for the Heisman Trophy in 1963 behind Roger Staubach, but elected to sign with the Toronto Argonauts to begin his professional career despite being drafted by both the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns.

The five-foot-nine, 158-pound scatback played 12 games in Toronto over two seasons before being released, ending his CFL career by playing one game for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1965. He carried 45 times for 261 yards and a touchdown, caught 27 passes for 312 yards and a major, and returned 15 kickoffs for 332 yards during his time in Canada.

Lewis later returned to the United States and spent two years with the New York Jets in the AFL. He was critical of his time in the CFL, complementing the game but deeming the rest of his experience to be “second class.”

The native of Louisville, Ky., entered the coaching ranks in 1969 at his alma mater, before making the jump to the NFL in 1983 as running backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers under Bill Walsh. He won three Super Bowls with the Niners, before taking over as offensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers and winning another Super Bowl in 1996.

Lewis would go on to serve as offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions, but was never seriously considered for a head coaching role despite his illustrious resume. He concluded his career as an offensive consultant with the Washington Football Team in 2009 and in 2023, was given the Award of Excellence by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.